Hello, this is XboxAhoy and this is the first episode of my Black Ops 2 Weapon Guide.
In this episode we're covering the MTAR Assault Rifle.
A smaller brother to Modern Warfare 2's TAR-21, the fully-automatic MTAR returns in its diminutive
form and is the first assault rifle unlocked in create-a-class.
The 'Tavor Assault Rifle for the 21st century', or TAR-21, is an Israeli weapon that was introduced
in 2001.
The Micro Tavor, or MTAR, is a subcarbine variant with a shorter barrel.
The version depicted in-game fires the NATO standard assault rifle cartridge, the 5.56x45mm
round - although the MTAR can be converted to an SMG, instead firing 9mm pistol rounds.
The Tavor is a bullpup weapon, with the magazine located behind the trigger - this allows for
a shorter overall length, making it ideal for urban close-quarter use.
In-game, The MTAR is a mid-damage assault rifle; It requires at least 3 shots to kill,
even if all 3 are headshots.
At a distance you may need up to 5 shots to kill, although with a single headshot you
won't need more than 4.
Range drop-off is moderate, with the MTAR losing its 3-shot kill potential outside of
a close range.
For most mid-ranged engagements you can expect to kill in 4 shots.
Like most of the assault rifles, the MTAR offers standard penetration ability: this
means thin cover won't pose too much of an issue should your target lie behind.
Rate of fire is 750 rounds per minute: reasonably high for the assault rifle class, and offering
a blend of controllability and lead output.
Hipfire spread is standard for the assault rifles - not as good as an SMG, but far better
than an LMG or Sniper Rifle.
Because of the automatic fire, potential 3-shot kill, and reasonable rate of fire - the MTAR
is probably one of the more reliable assault rifles when fired from the hip.
Select Fire will turn the MTAR into a three-round burst rifle - this will help enforce good
fire control, and conserve ammunition - but this attachment isn't particularly useful
for the weapon.
The MTAR's recoil is moderate, with the weapon tending to kick upwards, with some symmetrical
horizontal movement.
At close range, it's seldom an issue - but against distant opponents behind cover you
may find yourself losing gunfights to those with lower-recoil weapons.
Other handling traits are generally good: it takes 250 milliseconds to aim down your
sights, raise and drop times are on par with the fastest assault rifles, and your base
movement speed is 95% of the maximum possible - the same as all other assault rifles.
Magazine capacity is standard for the assault rifle class, at 30 rounds.
The Extended Clip attachment will give you 40 rounds between reloads instead.
Your total starting supply is 4 magazines worth - 120 rounds total, or 160 when you
use Extended Clip.
Reload times are average for the assault rifle class, with the MTAR taking 2.49 seconds to
perform a tactical reload.
The fast mag attachment will confer a 50% speed increase, reducing such reload time
to just 1.62 seconds.
Our build with the MTAR is going to take advantage of the weapon's versatility: our choices will
focus on making the weapon easier to use, and will leave you less vulnerable in a typical
firefight.
Smoothing out these vulnerabilities will help those less experienced with the game to perform
well - the MTAR is an early unlock, and as such is often a go-to weapon once create-a-class
is available.
Our first Pick 10 choice is a wildcard: Primary Gun Fighter will permit a third attachment
on your primary weapon, which is useful given that many of the attachments have a positive
effect.
With this wildcard, we can customise the MTAR to our precise requirements, and build the
perfect gun-centric loadout.
The Reflex Sight is our first attachment: this will replace the MTAR's iron sights with
a precision red dot, granting you a better view on target.
This attachment's effect is a purely visual one, and there are arguably other attachments
with more tangible benefit - but the importance of accuracy cannot be overstated, and the
Reflex really does help in this regard.
More experienced players might fare just as well with the iron sights, but if you're just
starting out the reflex sight is an excellent way to make any weapon easier to use.
Next up, the Suppressor will keep you off the minimap while firing, at the cost of a
slight reduction in your weapon's range.
The suppressor is an ideal tool for stealth builds, but is also useful for those less
confident in map knowledge, as you're less likely to be caught off guard from the rear
or flank.
An unsuppressed weapon can be a useful tool, drawing enemies into your line of fire - but
until you're familiar with spawns and flanking routes, it's probably best to remain off-radar.
Our third and final attachment is the Laser Sight: this will improve the MTAR's hipfire
performance, and give you a fighting chance in close-quarter gunfights.
While the assault rifles generally fare better while aiming, if you're ambushed or otherwise
enter an unexpected gunfight, firing from the hip and hoping for the best may be your
best option.
With the laser sight you tilt the odds in your favour, and will emerge from more gunfights
unscathed.
For our perks, we'll be taking a conventional set of three, one from each tier.
Our first choice is a good defensive option, that will invariably extend your average life
span.
Flak Jacket will reduce the amount of explosive damage you take, improving resistance to grenades
and killstreaks - universally useful, but nigh essential if you're playing objective
game modes.
Second up, Toughness will reduce the amount of flinch when you take incoming fire, helping
you to remain on target in a two-way firefight.
With enemies taking multiple bullets to kill, every shot counts - so Toughness will prove
useful in ensuring your shots connect before your enemy has the chance to do the same.
Our final perk, Dexterity, confers a couple of mobility benefits: both of which will improve
your reactivity while on the move.
The first benefit will allow you to climb ladders and mantle objects more quickly, reducing
the time that you'll be left vulnerable while doing so.
It's the second benefit that's more useful in our build, however - you gain a faster
recovery from sprinting, meaning your weapon will raise more quickly, and permit faster
firing.
This ties in nicely with the laser sight, in cases where you enter a close-range gunfight
unexpectedly: a faster response and tighter hipfire spread combining to repel most close-range
opponents.
A Semtex grenade in your lethal slot will extend your reach through windows and around
corners, with its explosive damage: use them to finish off enemies you've injured, who
subsequently escape.
The Semtex has lower damage than the frag grenade, but doesn't need to be cooked - and
can't be tossed back by a quick-thinking opponent.
Finally, to round out our build, the FHJ-18 AA: an anti-air option for when the enemy's
air support threatens to overwhelm.
Shooting down air support is a great way to extend your scorestreak, and will benefit
your entire team.
Even the humble UAV can put your team on the back foot, and a single missile is all it
takes to restore the balance.
Those 10 choices round out our MTAR build - a versatile, well rounded class for a similarly
specced weapon.
With our gun-centric loadout, we've had to forgo tactical grenades - but it's a concession
that's worthwhile, for the sake of a better primary weapon.
Employing a launcher in place of a pistol may leave you vulnerable should you run out
of ammo and need a reload, but as long as you keep an eye on your ammo count and reload
in cover you can reduce the risks.
If you feel confident using the iron sights, replace the reflex sight with Fast Mags for
a nimbler loadout and less overall downtime.
The MTAR works best at a middle range, so you'll want to avoid the longest sightlines
and tightest interiors.
Instead, aim to strike enemies from the side or flank at a comfortable range for the weapon,
and avoid tackling entrenched enemies head-on.
Instead, stay on the move and surprise the enemy instead of letting them come to you:
repositioning often will keep your enemy guessing.
The suppressor will let you tackle enemies without revealing your location - so unless
the opposing team is particularly alert or communicating effectively you can silently
cut deep into your enemy's defence.
The MTAR is a well-rounded assault rifle that serves as a versatile introduction to the
game.
Its damage is consistent out to a reasonable range, and its rate of fire is higher than
most others in its class.
While it may not excel at any one thing, the remainder of its statistics are balanced enough
- you will enter very few gunfights at a disadvantage.
It is perhaps this lack of specialisation that is the MTAR's downfall - the moderate
recoil will harm your accuracy at a distance, where snipers and lower-recoil weapons will
have a distinct advantage in firefights.
Similarly, you simply can't compete up close with SMGs - their rate of fire and superior
hipfire spread giving them a distinct advantage.
Still, it is often better to be adequate in all situations than to specialise in one - and
as long as you're aware of the weapon's limits this versatile weapon will humiliate your
opponent...
...and leave 'em tarred and feathered.
Thanks for watching, this has been XboxAhoy.
Join me next time, when I'll be covering the first of the SMGs in Black Ops 2 - the MP7.
Until then, farewell.